as in masculine
having qualities or traits that are traditionally considered inappropriate for a girl or woman
her father thought that ice hockey was a little too tomboyish for her, but her mother and older brother encouraged her to take it up
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Recent Examples of tomboyish
Linda Kaye Henning charmed audiences as Betty Jo Bradley, the spirited and tomboyish youngest daughter on Petticoat Junction.
—
Tereza Shkurtaj, PEOPLE, 11 Jan. 2026
Off-duty, the actor can be found in statement outerwear and tomboyish button-ups and trousers.
—Hannah Jackson, Vogue, 10 Dec. 2025
The brand’s sturdy styles add a tomboyish touch to the wrist of anyone who likes a more androgynous look, a style that’s particularly trendy right now.
—Barry Samaha, Glamour, 12 Nov. 2025
Jacobson lends her voice to Shira Schwooper, the tomboyish middle child and only daughter.
—Allison Degrushe Published, EW.com, 22 Aug. 2025
Her outfits were eccentric but unfussy, tomboyish but distinctly feminine.
—David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 3 Sep. 2019
Tereza Shkurtaj, PEOPLE, 11 Jan. 2026
Off-duty, the actor can be found in statement outerwear and tomboyish button-ups and trousers.
—Hannah Jackson, Vogue, 10 Dec. 2025
The brand’s sturdy styles add a tomboyish touch to the wrist of anyone who likes a more androgynous look, a style that’s particularly trendy right now.
—Barry Samaha, Glamour, 12 Nov. 2025
Jacobson lends her voice to Shira Schwooper, the tomboyish middle child and only daughter.
—Allison Degrushe Published, EW.com, 22 Aug. 2025
Her outfits were eccentric but unfussy, tomboyish but distinctly feminine.
—David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 3 Sep. 2019
Recent Examples of Synonyms for tomboyish
Adjective
-
The rooms The Cape’s 159 rooms, suites, and villas share a sleek Baja aesthetic with concrete, wood textures, and somewhat masculine neutrals paired with sculptural lighting and elements.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
18 Mar. 2026
-
The lines remain mostly unisex, though the aesthetic still skews slightly masculine, a tip of the hat to the brand’s roots.—
Jessica Binns,
Sourcing Journal,
18 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
That would have been unladylike.—
Lucy Worsley
September 16,
Literary Hub,
16 Sep. 2025
-
The new girl’s unladylike bravado ensures that she will be asked to board with the Brown girl.—
Chris Bohjalian,
Washington Post,
17 Aug. 2023
Adjective
-
Women fighting for the right to vote were seen by their detractors as unfeminine, and vinegar valentines were a cheap and convenient medium to enforce gender roles.—
Melissa Chan,
Fortune,
14 Feb. 2026
-
Dior’s collection referenced the H-line created by its founder Christian Dior for Fall-Winter 1954-1955 – a controversial silhouette at the time as its flattened shape appeared, for some, unfeminine.—
Alice Pfeiffer,
CNN,
28 Jan. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Tomboyish.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/tomboyish. Accessed 20 Mar. 2026.
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